Sometimes you rush in to your local supermarket and reach for a bottle of plonk - hey, it's on special!- for a night at a barbecue; I'd usually look around £5-7 and generally go for something zingy, acidic and aromatic to pair with strong flavours and contend with the inevitable smoky atmosphere.
Sometimes though, my better half and I want something a little more special for the end of a long week, and up the ante with something approaching a set £10-15 lower-end "fine wine"; you have to be canny in your search for something interesting at this price point in supermarkets, nowadays, and might be better off getting some advice (with food pairing to boot) at your local independent rather than guessing.Now, there comes the odd occasion that we want to spoil ourselves with something big; something memorable. Whether this is to share on a family get together or to remind ourselves of a tasting we've had at a vineyard somewhere in the world, my argument is that sometimes it's ok to splash out.
An analogy might be: saving and spending on one, exquisitely-crafted tailored suit, versus buying a host of disposable "everydayers" at Primark. Sure they might cover your modesty, but they won't make you feel good, nor be as memorable ten years in the future.
I'm considering our next special bottle to be a Vin Santo from Waitrose. Now, don't get me wrong £20 is a CONSIDERABLE sum; I'd want to be sure about what I was investing in. At £19.49 for a half a bottle (37.5cl) of Crociani's Vin Santo di Montapulciano, many would feel this a little steep.. However for us, bringing back memories of Vin Santo and cantucinni biscuits (almond flavoured biscotti) at the end of an evening in Florence, at the start of our honeymoon, is priceless.
As far as the dessert wine goes, this Tuscan dessert wine is a gem. Traditionally produced by drying out Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes on straw mats - concentrating the sugar content - Vin Santo ("saintly/holy wine") was supposedly used during mass, where a sweeter, richer wine was preferred. Indeed, the richness and complexity of this wine, with dominant raisin (now you know why!) and plummy flavours has a fantastically long finish. Great as it stands up to stronger cheeses and is ideal with biscotti (see above), which we were recommended to dip into the vin santo for a few seconds, to soak up the amber nectar.
The best wines are always those I can remember. Sometimes, my family still talks about the great value plonk we've guzzled en masse; sometimes, I've gone for broke and spent more on that 'special bottle' tied in with some memorable experience.
My argument is: price should not always be a limiting factor.
How much would you spend on a bottle of wine and have you any that are particularly memorable?
